&#34;Royal Forelle&#34; pear tree

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct variety of pear tree which is somewhat remotely similar to the Bartlett, Forelle, and Comice pear trees (all unpatented), but from which it is distinguished as a large, vigorous, upright and hardy pear tree which is a regular and very productive bearer of large symmetrical fruit of good dessert quality having a thick, smooth, waxen, glossy skin; the skin having an occasional yellow ground color nearly all overspread, in maturity of ripening, with a burgundy red coloration, and the flesh being distinctly white.

BACKGROUND OF THE NEW VARIETY

The present invention relates to a new and distinct variety of pear treewhich will hereinafter be denominated varietally as "Royal Forelle" andmore particularly to a pear tree which produces fruit which are maturefor the first commercial harvesting approximately August 30 in JacksonCounty, near Phoenix, Oreg., ripening in storage within thirty days, andwhich can be harvested until approximately October 15 and further isdistinguished principally as to novelty by producing a large, burgundyred, flavorful fruit, the flesh of which is distinctly white, and whichhas noteworthy storage and shipping characteristics.

Development of commercially successful varieties of fruit trees is ascience which requires not only careful attention to the developmentalsciences, but also enormous expenditures of time and effort in observinga multitude of potential varieties, recording their characteristics bothfavorable and unfavorable, comparing these characteristics of thevarieties among themselves and to prior art varieties, and hopefullyselecting a new variety suitable for commercialization which hasattributes not theretofore available.

The present variety of pear tree constitutes one such new variety whichis demonstrably superior in several characteristics to those commercialvarieties of pear trees which have gone before. Even marginalimprovements over existing varieties can result in a variety of immensecommercial success. The achievement of favorable distinctions in severalcharacteristics is truly noteworthy. Thus, the present variety is a treeof somewhat more upright bearing than the Bartlett pear tree(unpatented) and more closely related in this respect to the Forellepear tree (unpatented). The fruit of the new variety is distinct fromthat of other commercial varieties in its burgundy red blush which, inmaturity, is uniform about the fruit and does not have a stripedappearance which is characteristic of known commercial varieties. Theflesh of the new variety is distinctly white in comparison with theslightly yellowish-white flesh of the Bartlett pear tree and hassuperior keeping qualities. Importantly, the new variety is moreresistant to pear blight than the Forelle pear tree and does notdemonstrate a susceptibility to any form of virus nor any unusualsusceptibility to insects or diseases.

Since the "Royal Forelle" is the result of a cross between the "RedBartlett" and "Forelle" pear trees, it is a sibling of the "Red Angelo"pear tree (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 4,315) and thus shares many similaritieswith the "Red Angelo" pear tree. However, there are numerous distinctivedifferences between the "Royal Forelle" pear tree of the presentinvention and the "Red Angelo" pear tree. The "Royal Forelle" pear treeof the present invention is considerably more vigorous in growthproducing many more and longer new growth shoots than the "Red Angelo"pear tree. In contrast, the "Red Angelo" pear tree has a distinctivetendency to produce short new growth and spurs, the spurs producing thefruit. As a consequence, the "Royal Forelle" pear tree of the presentinvention is less compact than the "Red Angelo" pear tree. The leaves ofthe "Royal Forelle" pear tree are more sharply pointed and less coarselyserrated than those of the "Red Angelo" pear tree. The new growth isreddish, maturing into dark green with a bronze reddish sheen. The stemsof the leaves are pink.The leaves of the "Royal Forelle" pear tree arevigorous and tightly bunched to a greater degree than those of the "RedAngelo" pear tree.

The most significant differences between the "Royal Forelle" pear treeof the present invention and the "Red Angelo" pear tree are in regard tothe fruit of the respective varieties. The fruit of the "Royal Forelle"pear tree is consistently larger than the fruit of the "Red Angelo" peartree. The fruit of the "Royal Forelle" is symmetrical although a smallpercentage are roundish, having very little noticeable neck. The fruitof the "Royal Forelle" pear tree is thus less uniform than that of the"Red Angelo" pear tree. The fruit of the variety of the instantinvention is considerably more smooth and heavily waxed incontradistinction to that of the "Red Angelo" pear tree. As to color,the fruit of the "Royal Forelle" pear tree is virtually totally red witha slight yellow under color as distinct from that of the "Red Angelo"pear tree. The fruit of both trees is characterized by the spotting andfreckling of their common parent, the "Forelle" pear tree. The flavor ofboth is similar with the most noticeable difference being that the fruitof the new variety is not quite so sweet.

ORIGIN AND ASEXUAL REPRODUCTION OF THE NEW VARIETY

The present variety of pear tree hereof was originated by the inventoron his ranch which is located in Jackson County, near Phoenix, Oreg. Thepresent variety is a cross between the Red Bartlett and Forelle peartrees (both unpatented). When the hybrid seedlings resulting from suchcross pollination grew to maturity and bore fruit, one such seedling,that of the present variety, evidenced novel and distinctcharacteristics. Upon recognition of such characteristics by theinventor in 1978, it was selected for asexual reproduction. The presentvariety of pear tree was asexually reproduced by grafts on young peartrees in 1984 in an orchard on the aforesaid ranch. In maturity, theasexually reproduced trees of the new variety were identical to theparent tree in all respects.

SUMMARY OF THE NEW VARIETY

The "Royal Forelle" pear tree is characterized as to novelty as a large,vigorous, upright tree which is rapid growing and hardy and is a veryproductive bearer of uniform, generally symmetrical fruit of gooddessert quality, having a skin with some yellow ground colorsubstantially overspread, at maturity of ripening, with a burgundy redcoloration and having flesh which is distinctly white. The fruit of thenew variety is ripe for its first commercial harvesting approximatelyAugust 30 in Jackson County, near Phoenix, Oreg., fully ripening forconsumption within thirty (30) days in storage, and being available forits last picking approximately October 15 in the same locale.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The accompanying drawing is a color photograph of mature fruit of thenew variety showing the base of one, a second in side elevation, a thirdin side elevation, a fourth sectioned in a longitudinal plane and laidopen to show the distinctive white flesh and a fifth in plan view; arepresentative branch; and representative foliage.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring more specifically to the pomological details of this new anddistinct variety of pear tree, the following has been observed under theecological conditions prevailing at the ranch or origin which is locatedin Jackson Country, near Phoenix, Oreg. All major color codedesignations are by reference to the Dictionary of Color, by Maerz andPaul, Second Edition, 1950. Common color names are also employedoccasionally.

TREE

Generally:

Size.--Large.

Vigor.--Vigorous. Considerably more vigorous than the "Red Angelo" peartree and having the tendency to produce many more and longer new growthshoots than the "Red Angelo" pear tree.

Figure.--Vase-formed.

Productivity.--Very productive.

Regularity of bearing.--Regular bearer.

Growth.--Upright, tall, rapid. Less compact than the "Red Angelo" peartree.

Trunk:

Size.--Medium.

Surface texture.--Medium.

Branches:

Size.--Medium.

Surface texture.--Smooth.

Color.--Mature Branches -- Brownish gray. Immature Branches -- Red.

Lenticels.--Numbers -- Medium. Size -- Medium.

CLEAVES

Size:

Generally.--Large.

Length.--Long -- 6.35 cm to 8.89 cm (21/2" to 31/2").

Width.--Wide -- 3.81 cm to 5.715 cm (11/2" to 21/4").

Form: Sharply pointed; ovate. More sharply pointed than the leaves ofthe "Red Angelo" pear tree.

Thickness: Medium.

Color:

Upwardly disposed surface.--Red (4-K-11) shading to darker red (7-L-7).

Downwardly disposed surface.--Samovar yellow (12-K-7).

Texture: Smooth.

Leaf margin: Crenate; medium serrate. Less coarsely serrated than leavesof the "Red Angelo" pear tree.

Petiole:

Length.--2.54 cm to 3.81 cm (1" to 11/2").

Thickness.--Medium.

New growth:

Color.--Reddish, maturing into dark green with a bronze reddish sheen.The stems of the leaves are pink.

Growth characteristics: Vigorous and tightly bunched to a greater degreethan the leaves of the "Red Angelo" pear tree.

FLOWERS

Flower buds:

Size.--Medium.

Surface texture.--Somewhat shaggy on initial opening.

Date of bloom: April 20; slightly later than Bartlett pear tree.

Size:

Generally.--Medium.

Petals:

Color.--Pink on opening, turning to white at full bloom.

Fertility: Fertile.

Pollination: Can be pollinated by several varieties of pear treesincluding the "Red Angelo" pear tree and the "Bartlett" pear tree.

FRUIT

Maturity when described: Ripe for first commercial harvestingapproximately August 30, ripening within thirty day storage periodthereafter, and available for last picking approximately October 15 inJackson County, near Phoenix Oreg. The fruit hangs well during season.

Size:

Generally.--Very large to medium, uniform. Consistently larger than thefruit of the "Red Angelo" pear tree.

Average length.--7.62 cm (3").

Form:

Uniformity.--Obovate.

Symmetry.--Symmetrical and somewhat variable. Less uniform than fruit ofthe "Red Angelo" pear tree.

Stem cavity:

Generally.--Acute; smooth.

Width.--Narrow.

Depth.--Medium.

Shape.--Symmetrical.

Stem:

Generally.--Medium length -- Average 1.905 cm (3/4").

Thickness.--Medium.

Calyx: Closed; Medium small.

Lobes: No separation at base; short; broad; obtuse.

Basin: Medium depth; medium width; symmetrical; rounded; obtuse; fairlysmooth.

Skin:

Thickness.--Thick.

Texture.--Smooth; waxen; glossy. Considerably more smooth than the skinof the "Red Angelo" pear tree.

Color.--Yellow (11-L-5) ground color nearly all overspread in maturitywith burgundy red (7-J-6) coloration with numerous medium size submergedred dots.

Flesh:

Color.--White (9-B-1).

Juice production.--Juicy.

Flavor.--Subacid.

Aroma.--Aromatic.

Texture.--Firm; fine; tender.

Eating quality.--Good. Not quite as sweet as the flesh of the "RedAngelo" pear tree.

Core.--Medium size; closed; axile.

Core lines.--Meeting.

Calyx tube.--Length -- Medium.

Calyx width.--Medium.

Calyx form.--Funnel shaped.

Seed: Medium; plump; acute.

Use: Dessert market.

Keeping quality: Good -- up to 20 weeks.

Resistance to disease: Midway between Bartlett and Forelle pear trees;being more resistant to pear blight than Forelle pear tree. Does notdemonstrate any form of virus, and no unusual problems with insects ordiseases. Extreme resistance to decay from storage rot.

Shipping and handling quanities: Good.

Although the new variety of pear tree possesses the describedcharacteristics noted above as a result of the growing conditionsprevailing in Jackson County, near Phoenix, Oreg., it is to beunderstood that variations of the usual magnitude and characteristicsincident to changes in growing conditions, fertilization, pruning andpest control are to be expected.

Having thus described and illustrated my new variety of pear tree, whatI claim as new and desire to be secured by Plant Letters Patent is:
 1. Anew and distinct variety of pear tree substantially as illustrated anddescribed and which is somewhat remotely similar to the "Red Angelo"pear tree, (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 4,315) but from which it isdistinguished by having considerably more vigorous growth includinglonger shoots and leaves more tightly bunched and producing fruit whichare consistently larger but less uniform with skin which is more smoothand heavily waxed, and which is characterized at maturity by a skincoloration of burgundy red with a yellow under coloration with mediumsize submerged red dots and which has distinctively white flesh.